What to Do Before You Start Your MBA

Once you have finally made the big decision of where to earn your Full-Time MBA, a new set of priorities seems to come out of nowhere. Let’s start with a just a few to make your transition from work-life to student-life a little easier. Here’s what to do before you start your MBA.

Re-visit Campus

After you have taken the plunge and submitted your deposit, now is the perfect time to take a long weekend to visit your future campus–even if you have already been there during the application process. You will have an outcomes based perspective and will know what to look for this time around.

You can also use this time to scout out housing if you are relocating. In addition to the campus, environment, and b-school facilities, your focus should be on the professional opportunities that exist in the school’s surrounding towns or city. Consider nearby internship and employment opportunities, and the area’s business community and diversified economy. This will be your home for at least two years, so why not settle in?

Figure out your finances

If you have reached this point in the graduate student experience, then you have hopefully thought about financing your degree. But now you actually have to nail down the details. After accepting any merit-based scholarships from your program of choice, you should research other forms of financial aid offered at your institution. Reach out to the financial aid office for a refresh on the steps of applying for aid–remember the FAFSA from undergrad? Take some time to look at outside scholarships using online resources like MoneyGeek and FinAid. Finally, get your credit in order before applying for a loan to cover the remaining costs. You don’t want any surprises!

Gracefully resign from your current position

Ideally, your boss would have already been clued in to your future plans and acted as a recommender for all of your applications. But sometimes that just isn’t possible. So first, share the good news with your recommenders. They have helped you reached your goals and should be thanked! Then, determine how much notice your supervisor would expect and speak with him or her in person. As awkward as this conversation can be, keep it professional! You will want to maintain your connections for future networking.